Why Emperor Penguin Fathers Starve for Four Months in the Dark

At thirty-five degrees below zero, in winds that can reach two hundred kilometres an hour, one emperor penguin father will not eat for four months. This is the story of why he stays. We follow Kai, one male emperor penguin, through the Antarctic winter at Atka Bay: the egg handover, the storms, the huddle, the starvation, and the hatch. CHAPTERS 0:00 Four months without food 0:22 Meet Kai 1:29 The egg 3:01 The storm and the huddle 5:15 Starvation 7:18 The hatch 9:03 Why he stays SOURCES Australian Antarctic Division (AAD): Emperor penguin; Breeding cycle Groscolas & Robin 2001, Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology A Gilbert et al. 2006, Physiology & Behavior Zitterbart et al. 2011, PLOS ONE 6(6): e20260 Prévost & Vilter 1963 (via Wikipedia: Emperor penguin) Live Science: How do emperor penguin dads stop their eggs from freezing? Penguins International ABOUT THIS EPISODE Kai is a representative character: his name and markings are ours, but every behaviour and number in the story comes from the sources above. Visuals and narration are AI-assisted. Next episode: a Weddell seal who keeps her breathing hole open with her own teeth. #EmperorPenguin #Antarctica #WildlifeDocumentary